


What We Lost (And What We Found)

by WednesdaysDaughter



Series: This Home Made Anew [3]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Family Feels, Gen, Hurt Bilbo, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Overprotective Dwarves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-07
Updated: 2014-12-07
Packaged: 2018-02-28 11:03:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2730071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WednesdaysDaughter/pseuds/WednesdaysDaughter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Frodo goes missing in Erebor, Thorin nearly declares war on the visiting delegations of men and elves in fear they hobbit-napped his nephew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What We Lost (And What We Found)

**Author's Note:**

> Alternatively called "Hide and Seek (Giving Uncle Thorin More Gray Hairs)" but then it got kind of serious and I changed the title for my own sake. It started out lighthearted and then got heavy - story of my life.

The first time Frodo goes missing in Erebor, Thorin nearly declares war on the visiting delegations of men and elves in fear they hobbit-napped his nephew.

It took Bilbo, Balin, Bofur, and Dori to talk sense into him whilst soothing the ruffled feathers of both Bard and Thranduil who did not hide their insult at being accused of such an atrocity. It wasn’t until they heard the warning blasts of the horns that Thorin relaxed and addressed his company.

“I will not rest until my nephew is found and now the whole of Erebor will be looking for him. The Valar help you if we find your people hiding him from us.”

Bilbo rolled his eyes and shrugged when Bard and Thranduil turned to him for help.

“Fauntlings get lost all the time; Frodo will turn up when he’s ready to.”

Thorin could not understand his husband’s casual dismissal of Frodo’s disappearance and with help from Dwalin and Nori; he searched every room and every hall beneath the mountain before dinner.

“Bilbo he could be hurt or worse. I do not accept your disinterest in this matter!” Thorin shouted when he saw Bilbo down in the kitchens helping Bombur prepare their meal.

The glare Bilbo leveled at Thorin made the other dwarves slowly make their way to the door and to safety.

“You mistake my calm for disinterest Thorin Oakenshield, but make no mistake that if I wasn't already used to Frodo wandering off I’d be commanding troops to turn this mountain upside down. Now if you’re done being an utter ass to your beloved husband I suggest you turn around and open that bottom cupboard and then wash your hands for dinner.”

Thorin swallowed the guilt that coated his tongue as he followed Bilbo’s orders and he nearly wept in relief when he saw Frodo – safe and sound – with one hand stuck in a cookie jar and the other stuffing a cookie in his mouth.

Frodo froze when the light hit him and he smiled sheepishly.

“Would you like a cookie Uncle Thorin?” he asked shyly.

Ignoring the offer, Thorin pulled Frodo from his hiding spot and hugged him until Frodo began to complain.

“Help Uncle Bilbo he’s trying to squish me!”

“Well, maybe if you had listened to me and waited to have your sweets after dinner you wouldn’t be in that predicament.”

Frodo squirmed.

“I’m sorry! I’ll never sneak a cookie again!”

Bilbo and Thorin laughed, Thorin more shakily than he’d admit and Bilbo came to Frodo’s rescue before Thorin could continue embracing him.

“I noticed how you specified that you’d never sneak another cookie again – rather than any sweets, but I suppose I’ll have to let that pass considering the scare you gave your Uncle Thorin.”

Frodo looked quizzically up at Thorin.

“Why were you scared?”

“Because I couldn’t find you little one,” Thorin explained and Frodo looked to Bilbo as if Thorin’s answer did not make sense.

“He’s a dwarf Frodo; I’d imagine they don’t go vanishing into thin air when their parents aren’t looking.”

Thorin shot a glare in Bilbo’s direction but it had little effect on Bilbo.

“I’m sorry Uncle Thorin, next time I will leave you a note before I go adventuring.”

Frodo’s sincerity melted the anxiety bouncing in Thorin’s stomach and with a gentle kiss to his brow Thorin released Frodo so he could sit at the table.

“Be sure that you do.”

Word was sent to Dwalin to cancel the search and he did – once he could see that Frodo was safe with his own two eyes.

The whole company came around for dinner to make sure Frodo was alright even though Thorin had sent out assurances. Fili and Kili bracketed Frodo and refused to let him leave without one of them at his side.

Bilbo and Frodo humored their odd behavior and Bilbo decided it was best not to mention that when he was a fauntling he once went on an ‘adventure’ that lasted from afternoon tea to supper. Something told him that Thorin would not care to hear that all hobbits had a habit of wandering off until they came of age, for Frodo had many years to go and Bilbo did not know how many more scares his dear husband could take.

\- - - - - - - - - -

The fourth time Frodo goes missing, it doesn’t take long for him to be found but it takes a lot of effort to get him down.

“How did he get up there?”

Kili turned to his brother and grinned, “I have no idea!”

Frodo seemed oblivious to the presence of Fili and Kili at the bottom of the tree. He continued to munch happily on the apples he had found and wondered briefly if he should take some to Bilbo for pie filling.

“Uncle Thorin is going to kill us,” Fili sighed and Kili’s nervous laughter filtered up the tree until Frodo looked down.

“Hello Fili! Hello Kili! Would you like an apple?”

Frodo proceeded to toss two apples down to his cousins and Fili was too busy trying to think of a way to avoid Thorin to catch his treat.

“Ouch!”

Kili cackled as he bit into his apple and Fili smacked him upside the head.

“How come you didn’t catch mine?”

“I thought you had it!” Kili whined.

Frodo laughed at the display below him.

“Don’t worry Fili; I will bring you another one.”

Kili shouted and Fili felt his heart give out when Frodo slowly stood up and leapt from his safe, sturdy branch to one a few feet below.

“By Mahal watch yourself Frodo!” Kili cried out, clutching Fili’s arm in fear.

Fili could do nothing but watch Frodo jump and slide his way down until he was dangling by his fingers on the last branch. He rushed to catch Frodo before he could let go and Frodo let out a sound of disappointment when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his middle.

“I wasn’t going to fall, I promise!”

“Tell that to Uncle Thorin before he decides to skin us for letting you climb that blasted tree,” Kili moaned, rubbing his hands over his face in an attempt to calm his pounding heart.

“I’ll have you know that hobbits are excellent tree climbers. Just ask Uncle Bilbo, he’ll tell you!” said Frodo indignantly.

“No one will be asking anyone any questions in regards to hobbits and trees, understood?” Fili asked and with that he and Kili set out to reunite with their party.

Frodo pouted for a bit until he saw one of the guards and he waved.

“I don’t know why Uncle Thorin doesn’t like King Thranduil’s home – I think it’s very nice.”

Kili hid his grin behind his hand and Fili sighed when the elf guard bowed slightly in response to Frodo’s wave.

“But you like our mountain more, don’t you?”

Frodo looked at Fili as if he’d lost his mind.

“Of course I like Erebor more!”

Kili laughed all the way into the great hall where Bilbo and Tauriel were watching Thorin and Thranduil’s interaction with mild amusement.

“Ah, there you three are. Did you have fun exploring the woods?” Bilbo asked Frodo and to Fili and Kili’s horror he began to tell everyone of his great tree climbing adventure.

“Should we run brother?” Kili asked as Thorin turned to them with murder in his eyes.

“That’s the best idea you’ve had all day!” Fili exclaimed and bolted out the door with Kili and a fuming Thorin close behind who swore violently in Khuzdul about how he’d chain them both to a tree if he let their cousin do such a dangerous thing again. There were also a few choice insults about the trees of Mirkwood, but Fili and Kili were too busy running away to agree.

\- - - - - - - - - -

The sixth time Frodo goes missing Bilbo puts his foot down and forbids Thorin from sending out a search party.

“It’s the anniversary of his parent’s death. Let the boy mourn in peace for Yavanna’s sake.”

Bilbo stormed off, leaving a torn Thorin behind to look at Balin in helplessness.

“The lad’s right. Perhaps you should listen to him and let Frodo be for today.”

“But if he is in pain…” Thorin began and Balin laid a firm hand on his shoulder in support.

“I know it’s hard to stand by when our loved ones are hurting, but sometimes they must grieve alone before letting others help.”

Thorin nodded, not really knowing what else to do and quickly left to find his sister. He wasn’t surprised to find out Dis agreed with Bilbo and Balin.

“You remember how you were after mother died and when father went missing… Thorin you’d never talk about them, not even to me – your sister! And when Frerin passed…” Dis paused, unable to continue with the lump in her throat.

“We’ve lost so much brother, surely you must understand Frodo’s desire to be alone. Even Bilbo seeks solitude on the anniversary of his parent’s death and he has had much longer to cope with the loss.

Thorin took hold of Dis’ hands and rubbed a soothing thumb over her knuckles until breathing became easier.

“I do not wish him to think he is alone in his grief.”

Dis murmured in understanding and led him to a chair by the fire where they spent the day remembering their family that had fallen. Supper had come and gone by the time Thorin returned to his room and it was there he found his hobbits curled together on the bed with a book between them. Their eyes were wet and Frodo’s sniffles felt like knives to Thorin’s heart.

He left them be, heading to take a bath and ready himself for bed. When he emerged, clean and dry, Frodo was fast asleep, head resting on Bilbo’s lap and little hitched gasps slipping from his lips. Bilbo hummed a lullaby under his breath and massaged Frodo’s scalp to help him ease into sleep.

Thorin slipped into the bed and pulled Bilbo to him, forcing both Frodo and Bilbo to curl onto his chest and he wrapped both arms around them. The sound of their synched breathing was the only thing that could be heard until Thorin broke the silence.

“I love you.”

Bilbo’s grip on Thorin’s shirt tightened, but it was Frodo who replied.

“We love you too Uncle Thorin.”

\- - - - - - - - - -

The tenth time Frodo goes missing nearly costs Bilbo his life and Thorin his sanity.

They were ambushed in Dale and as Bilbo lies bleeding on the cobble streets, reaching out and yelling for Dwalin and Nori and Thorin who was safe in Erebor, a man throws Frodo over his shoulder and weaves in and out of sight. Frodo couldn't fight back, the man having knocked him out with a kick to the head when he tried to save Bilbo. Dwalin finds Bilbo crawling and clawing his way down the narrow street and roars in fury when he sees the trail of blood staining the dark stones.

“He took Frodo, a man took Frodo. Forget me and find Frodo!” Bilbo cries and he shoves Dwalin away when he's abruptly turned over and Dwalin begins to tend to his wounds.

“Please find him, what are you doing here? Go find Frodo!”

Bilbo’s panicked shouts draw a crowd and soon Nori and Bofur are beside him, holding him down so Dwalin can stanch the wound in Bilbo’s side. He curses at them, his tears hot on his cold skin and shadows dance just out of view.

“We have to get him to Oin,” he hears Bofur say and Bilbo starts to fight.

“You have to find Frodo.”

Dwalin grips Bilbo’s shoulders tightly and he begins to protest.

“Enough of that burglar. You listen to me and listen well because I ain’t letting you die on my watch, hear me? Now we’re gonna get ya back to the mountain and I’ll tear this city apart looking for the lad, but I’m not gonna let ya die so quit asking me to.”

Too tired to protest, Bilbo summons all the strength he has left in his body to meet Dwalin’s stare with his own.

“You swear to find Frodo and bring him back to me?”

Dwalin nodded.

“I swear by the blood of my kin I will not stop until I find Frodo and tear the men to pieces for taking him.”

Bilbo reaches up to clasp Dwalin’s arm and with a quick squeeze the strength fled his body and he goes limp.

“Get him to the mountain, Nori, you’re with me,” Dwalin ordered Bofur.

The glint in Nori’s eyes matched his own and together Dwalin and Nori went about searching for Frodo as Bilbo was whisked away by Bofur and Bifur back to the mountain.

It took four days to locate Frodo.

It took nine for Bilbo to open his eyes.

Ori was left to stay by Bilbo’s bedside in case he woke before Frodo was found. Once Dwalin came through the door with a visibly shaken Frodo and a drained Thorin, Ori returned to the library and tried to knit his stress away.

Frodo refused to leave Bilbo’s side so they had him moved to their bedroom and Oin was the only dwarf allowed into the royal suit until Bilbo was completely healed.

The three days that Frodo was missing were the grimmest that Erebor had seen since Smaug. For months dwarves would recall the sight of Bofur and Bifur bursting through the front gate supporting the unconscious hobbit between them. For years dwarves would remember the sound of anguish that Thorin emitted when he came storming down the hall to see Bilbo bleeding and unresponsive. For decades dwarves would recount the chaos that unfolded beneath the mountain when they found out Bilbo had been injured trying to save Frodo from being taken.

The whole of Erebor united – dropping their tools and trade to search Dale and Lake-town and even the Mirkwood in desperation of finding Frodo. Bard and Thranduil offered their men and it was Tauriel and Legolas who rode through the night to Erebor to help who found a group of men who had knowledge of the kidnapping.

It took two days to break them and only one for Thorin, Dwalin, and Tauriel to find where Frodo was being held until he could be safely transported up the river and through the woods. The rage Thorin felt rushing though his veins abandoned him when he heard Frodo call out for him from beneath a table in a small shack on the outskirts of Lake-town. He clung to his nephew and Frodo sobbed into his fur coat until he passed out from exhaustion.

Dwalin was swift in his vengeance – Tauriel equally so, if not more cruel in her treatment of the men who came to see who had discovered them.

Thorin returned quickly to Erebor while Dwalin and Tauriel brought the men to Bard and then to the mountain where they would face punishment for their crimes. Justice had been served, but it did little to lighten the spirits of the dwarves of Erebor. Bilbo had yet to wake and Frodo’s nightmares saw that no one slept peacefully underneath the mountain. The company did what they could, but the longer Bilbo slept the more they began to despair.

“They took him for money, for gold. The one thing that nearly drove me mad and cost me your love nearly cost me your life and Frodo’s. What good is this crown, what good are the riches of my people if they can be used to take those I love from me?”

The sorrow in Thorin’s voice hung in the air like a thick smoke bent on choking those unfortunate enough to breathe it in.

“Come now, why the dramatics?”

Thorin’s head shot up in time to see Bilbo wink at him.

“This feels familiar, haven’t we been here before?”

Thorin was only able to whisper Bilbo’s name before Frodo awoke and it took less than eight minutes for everyone to hear that Bilbo Baggins was awake.

Fili and Kili were the first to arrive, having taken up sleeping outside of the door in hopes of being around when Bilbo came to. Balin and Oin quickly followed, Dwalin and Ori not far behind. Finally Bifur and Bofur showed up with Bombur, Gloin, Dori, and Nori in tow.

Thorin wanted to throw them all out and hold Bilbo until the sun itself refused to rise in the sky, but seeing the tears in Fili and Kili’s eyes as well as the wet smiles of his company made Thorin hold off until Bilbo and Frodo grew too tired to keep their eyes open.

“Do not scare me like that again,” Thorin begged quietly and without shame. The naked emotion raw in his throat and Bilbo kissed his assurances into Thorin’s warm skin until sleep claimed them both.

\- - - - - - - - - -

The last time Frodo goes missing in Erebor is just three months shy of his journey to Rivendell with Gimli and Legolas.

Thorin finds him in the public gardens, gazing to the west; eyes an indescribable shade of blue that rivaled his own.

“Something’s wrong with Uncle Bilbo,” Frodo states without tearing his eyes from the purple horizon. Thorin hums in agreement and decides not to mention that he’d sent for Gandalf in fear for his husband.

“Will he be alright?”

Thorin wraps an arm around Frodo’s shoulder and pulls him close, protecting his nephew from the cool breeze that plays with the vibrant flowers at their feet.

“I have found that there is little relief in worrying when it comes to Bilbo. I have to believe that he will be well or else I will lose myself to fear and that way lies in madness.”

Frodo doesn’t say anything for a few minutes and when he finally does, Thorin chuckles.

“Has anyone told you that you sound like Gandalf sometimes?”

“I will take that as a compliment little one.”

Frodo snorts and settles against Thorin until he hears the crow of a Thrush.

“We should go, Uncle Bilbo will be looking for us and I’d hate to tell him the reason we’re late is because you got worried I was lost again.”

Thorin’s laugh makes Frodo pause and when he asks what was so funny Thorin shakes his head and guides Frodo into the warmth of the mountain.

“This is your home Frodo; you could never be lost here.”

**Author's Note:**

> The Fili, Kili, Frodo section is based off of this fanart (http://seadeepspaceontheside.tumblr.com/post/104383880905/its-like-the-ponies-all-over-again)
> 
> Like I said, it started out fun and got serious pretty quick. I like a little drama in my fics and I'm feeling pretty good about how this turned out. 
> 
> Yes, I do plan on tackling Frodo & the ring at some point, but not any time soon. I just wanted to tie this up (so to speak) with a reference to the LOTR, but there are still many adventures to be had in Erebor before the fellowship makes a grand entrance.
> 
> [Also, fuck tenses. I think I've rewritten half of this, reread it, took shit out and then rewrote lines and then I gave up. This is the final product until I come back in a few days and screech because seriously fuck tenses]


End file.
